The realtors and city officials met last Thursday. Langel told KLEM's Joanne Glamm leads being pursued aren't related to the meeting

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According to Langel, city officials are hopeful of a match between someone who has a need and what the city has to offer.

Peace contest winners create posters without words

(LE MARS)--Three students in Le Mars who showed their peace vision are being recognized by a service group.

Gehlen Catholic sixth grade students created an original design for the Lions International Peace Poster Contest. Using the theme "Vision of Peace," the students drew their designs without any words, computer-generated art, or photographs.

The contest also prohibits glue, staples or attaching artwork in any way.

Catalina Uribee's entry was chosen as one of the best portraying this year's "Vision of Peace," theme. She is the daughter of Dr. Juan Uribe and Mrs. Naybie Torres of Le Mars.

Gehlen Catholic sixth grade students Cady McCallan and Steph Heuertz were honorable mentions.They are all students of Gehlen art teacher Beth Schlichte.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) A trial has been delayed until July for a Sioux City man accused of cutting his pregnant ex-girlfriend's throat while stabbing her last January.

Thomas Rausch Jr. has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges stemming from the attack on Kasandra Smith. Trial had been set to begin Tuesday.

Court records say the 20-year-old Rausch entered Smith's residence to get some belongings, walked up behind her and cut her throat. Authorities say he then stabbed her six times. The fetus was not injured.

Police say Rausch is the child's father.

The fetus was not injured.

A jailer said Thursday that Rausch remains in Woodbury County custody, pending $500,000 bail.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Dam releases could force Montana flooding downstream

ROUNDUP, Mont. (AP) As flooding washes out roads and swamps more homes in Montana, regional rains are forcing releases from dams that promise to swell the Missouri River past its banks downstream in Iowa and the Dakotas.

The central Montana town of Roundup was under an estimated 6 feet of water Thursday as the latest bout of flooding pounded the water-logged state.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers predicted hundreds of homes in downstream states could flood as snowmelt and rain flow eastward toward the Dakotas.

GOP, Democrats disagree on scheduling budget talks

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Not only are Iowa Republicans and Democrats having trouble agreeing to a state budget, now they're at odds about whether both sides are willing to negotiate.

But Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal says negotiations were held Thursday at the invitation of Democrats. Gronstal adds that Democrats offered three days next week for more talks.

Both sides say they have made progress, but they haven't been able to bridge key differences on issues such as school funding. The inability to reach a deal has forced the session to extend weeks beyond the scheduled ending date.

Iowa may be fertile ground for GOP's Bachmann

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Republican Michele Bachmann is making plans for a presidential campaign announcement next month in Waterloo, Iowa, the city where the Minnesota congresswoman was born.

Bachmann dripped out the details in a conference call with reporters Thursday night but said she could still reverse course and sit out the 2012 White House campaign.

She was supposed to speak in person at a GOP dinner in downtown Des Moines, but a vote in Washington turned the appearance into a video message.

She says strong fundraising and other indicators make her confident about making a run.

Pawlenty says he supports House GOP budget

MILFORD, N.H. (AP) Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he supports House Republicans' budget outline that makes cuts to the federal deficit as well as federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Pawlenty told reporters on Thursday that, if he were president, he would endorse the House lawmakers' plan. He has been dogged in recent days about the plan, which Democrats' say privatize sacrosanct federal programs.

He has faced yes-or-no questions about the plan, designed by Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican. The GOP has embraced the budget and those who haven't have faced harsh criticism. Pawlenty again said he would have his own budget plan to announce in recent weeks, before siding with Ryan.

Romney names Iowa committee ahead of Friday visit

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Republican Mitt Romney is unveiling a committee of Iowa supporters led by a former state Republican Party chairman on the eve of his return to the leadoff presidential caucus state.

Romney returns to Iowa Friday for the first time since beginning his 2012 presidential exploration last month and is visiting Ankeny, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.

The former Massachusetts governor who finished second in the 2008 caucuses is expected to wage a less aggressive Iowa campaign this time, aides say.

But Romney will have former state GOP Chairman Brian Kennedy on his 2012 Iowa team. Kennedy is a lawyer from Bettendorf who helped Romney's 2008 Iowa campaign.

Arsenal factory could be a target for budget cuts

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Members of the Iowa and Illinois congressional delegations want a meeting with Army Secretary John McHugh.

The U.S. lawmakers are concerned about possible budget cuts that could affect the Rock Island Arsenal's Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center.

In a letter released Thursday by Sens. Tom Harkin and Charles Grassley, the delegations request a meeting as soon as possible concerning an Army task force charged with cutting $3 billion from the Army Materiel Command budget.

The letter says the recommendations could include a ``potential approach'' to close the center, which has 1,700 employees and operates the Army's only foundry. It specializes in manufacturing artillery, armor and small arms.

Iowa feedlot to pay penalty for waste discharge

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Officials say a beef feedlot in Underwood in western Iowa will pay a $20,000 penalty for discharging animal waste into a creek.

The Environmental Protection Agency says Thursday that Moran Beef Inc. agreed to pay the penalty as part of a consent agreement. Inspectors in June 2009 found the company lacked controls to prevent the discharge. Another inspection in October 2009 showed the feedlot was still discharging wastewater.

At the time, the feedlot had nearly 1,500 cattle in its open lot and confinement barn operations. A feedlot with over 1,000 cattle is subject to the Clean Water Act.

The EPA issued a compliance order in January 2010. The company has since built controls to prevent unauthorized discharges.

Police increase patrols around Cedar Rapids school

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Cedar Rapids police have increased patrols in and around an elementary school after authorities say some strangers tried to lure a girl into their car earlier this week.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin told The Gazette that an 11-year-old girl was walking to Truman Elementary School Monday morning when she was approached by a car. Hamblin says there were two men in the front and one in the back, and they tried to lure the girl into the car.

Hamblin says the child ran to a nearby church and then went to school later. The incident was reported to police, and school officials notified parents.